


Winter blooms

by sunsetjulie



Category: Alice by Heart - Sheik/Sater/Sater & Nelson
Genre: Alfred Hallam has asthma, Alice spencer has adhd, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25291471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetjulie/pseuds/sunsetjulie
Summary: The flower shop/coffee shop au no one asked forAlice's love language is gifting flowers and Alfred is allergic.Theyre pining idiots. Enjoy!
Relationships: Alice Spencer/Alfred Hallam
Comments: 19
Kudos: 20





	1. First meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred is a barista in a small coffee shop who has awful allergies and is just trying to pass his pre med semester and Alice is a romantic girl who works in a flower shop and gets distracted easily.

Alfred has had an interest shift to say the least.

He was late for work which at this point didn’t even surprise his manager, Harold.

Alfred was not great with managing his time and being a pre med student in the middle of finals made it worse.

At this time of the day he tried not to fall asleep in the middle of talking to customers, he was glad that the majority of people who brought coffee this early in the morning were mostly students like him because he didn’t have the energy to deal with Karens today.

“Hi! Can I get a Venti Iced Skinny Hazelnut Macchiato, Sugar-Free Syrup, Extra Shot, Light Ice, No Whip”

A melodic voice brought him back to reality and his green eyes met with light brown ones.

He was looking at a brunette girl with her hair in half a ponytail and a beautiful light blue dress and a white apron.

He was too stunned to speak for what felt like either three seconds or an eternity, he finally managed to open his mouth.

“Oh sorry could you repeat,,, everything?” he smiled sheepishly.

The girl laughed and Alfred’s heart did somersaults, she repeated the whole order again and he got to write it in his notepad.

As Alfred started making the girl’s order he couldn’t help but stare at her, She was fidgeting with her necklace while she watched her coffee being made, she also had the brightest smile he had ever seen, which was odd for someone to be this happy too early in the morning.

“Do I have something in my face?” The girl furrowed her eyebrows in confusion

“No, you look great,” Alfred blurted out and immediately blushed. you look great?? god he was so awkward.

He handed the order back to the girl trying to avoid her eyes, she accepted the cup with a smile and started to look in her purse for her wallet. After a minute of looking, the girl muttered a fuck and placed the cup on the counter “I forgot my wallet at my job,” she admitted. “But don’t worry I can leave this here and go get it!”

Alfred softened at that. “Hey no it’s fine!” He was gonna get killed for this.

He slowly moved the cup of coffee towards her with a shy smile. “It’s on the house.”

The girl looked surprised. “Are you sure? I can just run back and bring the wallet.”

“Yeah! don’t worry about it!”

She sighed in relief. “Thank you so much uhh-” she seemed to realized she didn’t know his name

“Alfred.”

The girl smiled. “Alice.” And with that, the girl left the coffee shop.

\-----

“You should’ve seen him Tabby! he had the fluffiest hair and a cute dimple in the side of his face and-”

“Alice, you have been rambling about this boy for the past thirty minutes” Tabitha, the flower shop manager and one of Alice’s closest friends complained. “We get it, you’re in love with the barista from starbucks because he gave you free coffee.”

“I’m gonna pay him back!” Alice protested.

  
“Just like you payed me when I bought you chipotle the other day?” Tabitha raised her eyebrows and smirked.

“It was one time!”

Tabby just laughed at Alice’s short temper, it was really easy to get her rilled up for something stupid and she found herself doing it often for her entertainment.

After that the two girls fell into a comfortable silence while both cleaned their respective sides of the flower shop before opening, today they had the luxury of opening a little bit later but they also had to do Angus’ work due to him being MIA since yesterday.

“I’m gonna go back tomorrow,” Alice blurted out suddenly, breaking the tranquility of a quiet morning yet again.

“Oh are you now?” Tabby replied sarcastically, without even looking up from what she was doing.

“I need to pay him back!” Alice tried to justify. “Plus I wanna thank him for being so kind yesterday.”

“Are you sure you’re not going back just because he’s cute?” Tabby threw a little twig playfully at Alice, the former just frowned and flipped her off.

Alice stood up suddenly, grinning like crazy.

“Oh no, I know that look.” Tabby said as she rolled her eyes. “you’re having an idea and it’s probably not going to end well.”

Alice decided to ignore her friend as she sprinted towards the back of the store. When she came back she was holding a little bouquet of white roses, Tabitha raised her eyebrows at that.

“I could give him these roses,” Alice said, as if it was not obvious, “as a thank you gift.”

“Alice,” Tabby sighed. “Those are one of the most expensive ones.”

“C’mon Tabby,” Alice pleaded. “It’s in the name of love.”

“So now you admit that you like the boy?”

“I- d- I never said that!” Alice blushed again.

“Why would you give flowers to someone you don’t like then?”

“Tabby!” Alice protested, knowing the older girl was just messing with her “please”

Tabatha stayed quiet for a few seconds until she sighed in the end. “Fine, but you better get together with the boy, and this is the first and last time I let you take the merchandise for free.”

They both knew that was not going to be the case.

\-----

Alfred couldn't stop sneezing.

Apparently right before his shift Alice had come looking for him but she didn't realize that his shift hasn't even started yet.

According to Clarissa, his coworker who was working at the moment, she ordered a super complicated coffee and left a gift for The boy who took her order yesterday.

He had been super excited to see what the gift was until he realized with dread what Alice brought him.

A bouquet of White roses.

He prayed his sneezes were quiet enough that no one found out, but after almost dropping another cup of coffee on himself due to an allergy attack Harold had to pull him aside.

‘Are you sick or something, Alfred? You’re scaring the customers away,” Harold whispered as soon as he was out of earshot from the people in the coffee shop.

“No It’s just allergies, don’t worry about it.” Alfred shugged.

He was used to telling people that, after all it was a rare occasion when Alfred was not suffering from allergies or a cold. Some days it seemed like his own body hated him.

“What are you even allergic to?”

What was Alfred not allergic to would be a way shorter answer, but he decided to only say what was causing his reaction at the moment.

“Pollen, mostly.” He shrugged.

Harold eyed the vase of roses on the counter, which has certainly not been there yesterday, then looked back at Alfred and tilted his head in confusion.

“I don’t even want to ask,”’ Harold sighed and started to head into the back to the store but not before turning around and saying, “Just try not to die or scare the customers away.”

“No promises,” Alfred muttered and tried to go back to work without spilling coffee on himself.


	2. Annoying coworkers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred argues with Clarissa and Alice argues with Tabby!
> 
> Also miserable college student Alfred!

“Could you pass me the sugar, Rudolph?”

Alfred turned around from organizing the cash register, again- An unamused smile rested on his face and it met her coworker’s smug and teasing smirk.

“It was not funny yesterday and It’s somehow less funny today, Clarissa” Alfred sniffled.

He reached for the sugar bag that was literally closer to her than it was for him and handed it to her. She only asked him to pass the sugar in the first place to make that snarky remark, which was so in character for Clarissa. 

“Aw c’mon, I’m just having fun” she rolled her eyes as she started to prepare the requested coffee from her client.

It has been two days since Alice had left the flowers there and so far she hasn't come back which, you know, shouldn’t bother Alfred at all since she was just another customer- But for some reason he really felt like there was a connection of some sort which, he was aware, sounds cheesy but can you blame him? he had always been a hopeless romantic. 

“Wasn’t Dodgy supposed to come today?” Alfred tried to change the subject.

“He had to study for a chem test so he asked me to cover for him” 

“God I wish i was still in high school”

“No you don’t” Clarissa laughed

“No i don’t” Alfred repeated

They both went back to work, Clarissa preparing the drinks and Alfred cleaning everything near the counter. 

Fortunately none of them had to bake any of the pastries since Dodgy had bothered to do everything before he finished his shift yesterday

It was a huge relief for both Alfred and Clarissa since the last time they both tried to bake it had gone horribly- They were lucky the firefighters arrived on time.

it was funny that both Dodgy and Clarissa worked at a local coffee shop in the middle of nowhere. After all, both of them looked like they could be young aristocrats of some sort- They always came with their best clothes their neatly combed dark hair (or in Clarissa’s case, the most complicated but elegant hairstyles Alfred has ever seen)

Why both of these kids ,who probably would be able to buy a small island, were working in a coffee shop as an after school job? They both told him the story of how his parents wanted to teach them independence and responsibility and apparently it was working,,, according to them.

The shop stayed mostly quiet after that except for some customers quietly chatting and Alfred’s tiny sneezes or sniffles. 

“Why don’t you move the flowers,” Clarissa said suddenly, without taking her eyes from the cup of coffee. She mostly wanted to break the silence due to boredom and not actual concern.

“What do you mean?” 

“There’s literally a table near the entrance” Clarissa rolled her eyes and pointed at the table in question “why don’t you put it there”

“because-” Alfred started, debating if he should tell her the whole truth “because if she comes back and she sees that I placed the flowers as far as me as possible she’s gonna feel bad and I don’t want that! plus I’m sure the pollen is already in the whole shop so it doesn’t even matter”

Clarissa raised an eyebrow “You really think that she’s coming back, don’t you?” 

Alfred looked at his shoes and Clarissa realized that maybe she was being too harsh, she tried again in a softer tone.

“You’re overthinking this way too much, I'm sure she won’t even notice you moved the flowers”

Alfred kept quiet for a few seconds, trying to weigh his options “Just- let me have them on the counter until Alice comes back”

“You are so cheesy”

Alfred rolled his eyes playfully “says the girl who talks about her girlfriend every time she has the chance” 

“Hey! Mamie deserves the praise!” 

They both giggled for a bit until Harold caught them quote -Not working as they’re supposed to- so they had to go back to making the drinks.

\--

“I’m so fucking stupid!”

Alice was leaning against the counter with her hands covering her face. She always had a thing for drama which made Tabatha not take her seriously most of the time. While the girl whined Tabby was trying to make a flower arrangement she was asked to do.

Both of them had a huge order that they had to finish before this weekend. A couple was getting married and they asked them to be in charge of all the flower arrangements.

Which would be easy if Alice was not distracted by everything and Angus actually came to his job most of the time.

“Aren’t you gonna say anything?” Alice asked in annoyance at her friend.

Tabatha shrugged, smiling teasingly “I always knew you were not the brightest bulb in the package” 

Alice flipped her off and pouted “I’m serious!”

Tabatha turned around with a sigh to face her whiny friend, the half finished flower arrangement now forgotten on the table. “I really don’t understand why you’re worrying so much” 

“Are you kidding?! I sent flowers to a boy I just met once!” She threw her hands in her ear to make emphasis “We probably think I’m a psycho now!” 

She started fidgeting with her necklace yet again, as she always did when she was ansty.

“Why didn’t you stop me?!” Alice turned to Tabby once again and the girl just sighed.

“I did” 

Tabby knew that Alice always marched at her own pace, she never lets anything or anyone get in her way of getting what she wants. Tabby admired that most of the time, she was proud of the younger girl’s fuck the authority actitude. 

Except for the fact that Tabby was technically Alice’s boss and the girl had had literally no impulse control whatsoever.

“Listen, Allie” Tabby sighed “As much as I want you to go chase your dreams and run away to a small town in Santa Fe with that guy Albert-”

“Alfred,” Alice corrected “Like batman’s butler.” 

“Why do i feel like that’s the only reason you remember his name?” 

Alice smiled sheepishly, as if she was a child caught stealing cookies from her mother’s jar.

“Of course” Tabby sighed “As much as I would like you to marry Batman’s butler, we need to get this order on for the wedding this Saturday” 

“Fine,” Alice started arranging her part of the bouquets “But I’m going back to the coffee shop tomorrow” 

“Get me a coffee” Tabby smirked and that was it.

Both girls concentrated on their flower arrangements but Alice’s mind still wandered off in thought- 

She couldn’t get that coffee shop barista out of her head for some reason. The way his hair curled at the tips, his soft hazel eyes and his cute dimples- His nervousness almost reminded her of the white rabbit she’d read many times in her beloved book Alice in Wonderland.

\--

So Alfred just failed one of his finals.

Ok maybe he was being a little bit dramatic, 

He didn’t exactly fail but he didn’t do as good as he hoped he was.

A small part of him, the part that wasn’t riddled with worry and anxiety right now that is, was actually relieved the hardest exam was over. He could finally just sleep normally rather than just passing out at 4am in his big book while studying.

Alfred used to be an avid reader- The teachers praised him for reading higher level books for a kid his age- He devoured novels in less than a day on his good days.

Now he felt like throwing up if he even glanced at a book.

He supposed that’s what happened when one became an adult- At his 19 years of age Alfred already felt as tired as a 60 year old, like just living his life was a crushing weight that made him smaller and smaller by the second. At least the worst exam was over and he’d just have to worry about one or two more before he could rest.

His thoughts were interrupted by a small sneeze that almost made him drop all of his books.

fuck

He’d have to go to the pharmacy to get an allegra or benadryl or some shit before his shift at the coffee shop- His allergies had been getting worse even without the flowers Alice brought him.

The ones that had been there for a few days and Alfred still didn’t have the heart to throw out just yet.

It was just the time of the year, Alfred supposed. He started to feel not great earlier than usual but that just may be the combination of stress for his finals and the fact that spring seemed to awaken a few weeks before it’s supposed to come.

He stepped into the pharmacy and glanced at the person behind the counter with tired eyes “Do you have any allergy meds?” 

God even his voice sounded raspy and nasally, he was an absolute mess. 

The person either didn’t notice or was just as tired as him to care “We only have Benadryl” 

Well shit- Now he was going to feel loopy and probably pass out at the first opportunity he sees because Benadryl was like injecting elephant anesthesia right through his veins.

Ok well maybe he was exaggerating a tiny bit- But it still made him drowsy and he absolutely hated that feeling.

The itch in his throat grew and he sighed.

“I’ll take it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up- Loopy Alfred! comment below or come scream at me in my tumblr @the-story-of-the-tucks

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic posted here so hhh leave a comment mayhaps?


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